


Religion can be a fucker

by Henryhenry_nicholls



Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: Found Family, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Shitty Family, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22662376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Henryhenry_nicholls/pseuds/Henryhenry_nicholls
Summary: Joe's family is a little too religious and a tiny bit homophobic but it's his sister's wedding, surely they wouldn't start anything.Joe and Jos are going to Joe's sister's wedding and Jos'll be damned if he let's them hurt his boyfriend.(Repost of a fic because I very edited it and?)
Relationships: Jos Buttler/Joe Root
Kudos: 6





	Religion can be a fucker

**Author's Note:**

> Technically I already posted this but we back again w/ better fic, I love my Bois and my own experience based fic

“Why do we have to go to this again?” Joe complains. He was in front of the bathroom mirror, tying his tie. He knows he has to tie it because his family will disapprove if he shows up not wearing it. He wants to fit in with his family as much as he can.

“C’mon Joey, They’re your family and your sister explicitly said she wants you there.” Joe’s sister, he reflects, was the only reason he was even doing this. It’s her wedding day and hell if he was missing that. Besides, he didn’t have a bad relationship with his sister. He knows that she’s her own person and doesn’t have to automatically believe what their parents say about him and his relationship with Jos. There is a small part of him that is scared she might share their beliefs but he had never discussed it with her while he was on speaking terms with their parents.

“I know, but- God should I even be bringing you?” Joe’s voice has a note of panic in it and Jos looks him in the eyes trying to steady him.

“Babe, it won’t be easy either way. Also, you should maybe avoid using the word ‘God’.” Joe snorts and smiles weakly at Jos. Jos' still trying to make his hair look nice. Joe wonders if Jos knows that it always looks amazing even when he’s just woken up. There’s a long pause before anyone speaks again.

“It’s been years since I last went into a church.” Jos puts down his hair gel and puts a hand on Joe’s arm. He turns Joe towards him and finishes tying his tie for him.

“Are you afraid you’ll burn up?” Jos jokes. They both know that Joe’s reason is more based on fear of the church’s beliefs but there isn’t anything else Jos can think of to do. Joe pulls Jos in for a quick kiss before pulling away.

“I’m going to finish getting ready.”

“Okay babe, I’ll be good in ten.”

\-----

Their car pulls up into the church car park and Jos puts his hand on Joe’s thigh.

“Deep breaths now sweetheart, c’mon.” Joe blinks back tears. He looks up at the ceiling and breathes deeply.

“Let’s do this,” he states with more confidence than they both know he has at that moment.

When they get inside Joe’s mother frowns as she sees them and whispers something to her husband.

"Good afternoon Joseph, and is this Jason? I didn't think you'd dare bring another man into the church as your date." Joe frowns. He's been dating Jos for years. He knows his mother doesn't like it but surely she'd at least know his name. That isn't even the most pressing issue. Joe can feel a deep sense of shame for being himself. He doesn't like the feelings that this was bringing back up.

"Sorry Ma, I shouldn't have done this, should I?" Jos shoots a concerned look at him. He resists the urge to put his hand on Joe's shoulder, this probably isn't the best time for that.

“I really hoped you’d have settled down, gotten a steady job and found a girl by now. Have you realised you need a steady job yet? Or are you still focused on your juvenile sports? ” Jos' face hardens. He can’t believe that not only is this woman massively homophobic and makes Joe regret being himself, she also doesn’t allow him to live and enjoy his dreams.

“I- uh it’s going okay?” Joe’s inflection at the end of the sentence turns it into a question. Jos glares at her and reaches out to take Joe’s hand.

“He’s the captain of the Test Team and the heart of the Limited overs teams. It’s not just ‘going okay’ it’s going brilliantly and he’ll go down in history.” he holds himself back from adding the ‘so fuck off’ to the end of his statement. Joe’s mum regards him with a cool glance and he suddenly feels what Joe has been feeling since they arrived. Joe swallows and Jos gives his hand a squeeze.

“We’re going to sit down now, it’s been uh... nice seeing you Ma.” Joe leads Jos to one of the pews near the back of the church. Once they’ve sat Joe lets go of Jos' hand and puts his head in his hands.

“Joe?”

“Shh, I’m dying,” Joe groans. Jos chuckles softly and puts his hand on Joe’s thigh comfortingly. “Thank you though, for saying that to my mum. I’m glad you came with me.”

“Of course, I love you.”

“Babe that’s gay.”

“Shh, don’t let them know, we’re in a church.” Joe giggles and sits back putting one of his hands on top of Jos'. Jos smiles at Joe and shifts closer so that their thighs are touching.

\----

“You may now kiss the bride!” The church erupts in cheers as Joe’s sister and her new husband kiss. Jos looks at Joe, his boyfriend has tears in his eyes. He turns and looks at Jos and grins.

“That’s my little sister! Jossy, she’s married now!” Jos grins at Joe. He hopes that he and Joe will be there one day. Everything Joe does makes Jos love him even more.

“You want to go wish her a happy marriage?”

“Yeah, let’s go!” Joe sounds excited and looks like he’s feeling a lot better now, Jos hopes that’s true. He takes Jos' hand and bounces over to where his sister is, dragging his boyfriend along.

“Congrats sis!! I’m so proud of you!!!” Joe grins at his sister and she lights up too.

“Thanks!! I’m so glad you could make it Joey!”

“Yeah me too! It was lovely to see you get married, you look so beautiful!” She looks down at his and Joe’s still entwined hands and frowns a little. Jos quickly removes his hand. Joe shoots a look at him and he shrugs a little. Joe returns his focus to his sister.

“Thank you, Who’s this?”

“Uh, this is Jos, We’re uh in a relationship.” Joe’s nervous, Jos can tell, anyone could really but Jos knows that Joe loves his sister and wants her to support him. Her sharp laughter cuts the awkwardness and Jos looks from a frowning Joe to his cackling sister.

“Oh,” she stops laughing, “That wasn’t a joke, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t. Why would I joke about something like that?’

“Yes, I was going to say that your sense of humour had gotten worse. You shouldn’t have brought him, Joe.” At some point, Joe’s tie has come undone. Joe looks dejected and Jos wants to wrap an arm around him.

“I know.”

“You know, Ma and Pa said you were going through a homosexual phase but I didn’t think you’d actually do anything about it. You know you’re going to hell right?” Joe is staring at his sister in horror. He reaches blindly for Jos' hand, Jos takes it and holds it firmly.

“There is still a chance for salvation though, just leave him and let the Lord save you and wash away your sins.” Joe just continues to stare at her. He looks less horrified though. He almost looks as if he might be contemplating it. Jos squeezes his hand and Joe turns slightly to look at him.

“I’m leaving all right. I’m just leaving this wedding and you as opposed to him. He’s never done anything but support me, can you say the same?” Joe turns to walk away and stops. He puts his free hand on the back of Jos' neck and pulls him into a kiss. He turns fully back to his family, one last time.

“I’m done with this.” He strides confidently out the door pulling Jos behind him. Once they’re sat in the car Joe breaks.

“I just- I just wanted-” Joe’s cut off by a sob. Jos leans over and puts his arms around Joe as best as he can. The position is awkward but neither really cares.

“It’s okay, c’mon Joey, it’s okay.” Joe sobs harder and presses his face into Jos.

“I almost didn’t choose you, Jossy, I- I- I just wanted them to love me.”

“Hey, babe, c’mon. It’s understandable, your family is supposed to give you love and they haven’t done that and now you're trying to find it any way you can.” Joe doesn’t look comforted and Jos tightens his grip. “And besides, you did choose me. You wanted things to be normal again but you still chose me over them. So Joe, count this as a win.” Joe moves back and Jos sits back in his seat.

“Jos, this isn’t a win, I’ve lost all of my family.”

“I know Joe, but I can be your family, hell the team can be your family.”

“It isn’t the same!”

“No, but it can be close, you aren’t alone Joe.”

“I know that! But fuck, Jos. my biological family are all gone, dead to me or whatever. What am I supposed to do?”

“Survive, and be yourself. Do the stuff they’d never let you. Joe, there’s a whole world out there full of people that aren’t them. We just have to face it.”

“Will it get easier?”

“Does anything?” Jos pauses, “No probably not, but if you want, I'll be there with you the entire time.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Joe I’d do anything for you, I love you.” Jos pulls Joe’s tie free of his collar, freeing him from the constraint.

“Thank you Jossy, I love you too.”

Jos smiles in response. He opens the window and throws the tie through it. After straightening in his seat he starts the car. They drive off leaving the discarded tie in the dust.


End file.
